Neonatal Cyanosis Due to Hemoglobin Variant: Hb F-Sarajevo.

Neonatal cyanosis is rarely due to hemoglobin variants with low oxygen affinity. We describe the clinical course and results of molecular genetic analysis of a boy who presented after birth with severe cyanosis. Arterial blood-gas analysis demonstrated a pronounced shift of the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve to the right and molecular genetic analysis revealed a γ-globin variant, Hb F-Sarajevo. The patient presented is the second reported case of neonatal cyanosis due to this mutation, which was first described in 2012 by Zimmermann-Baer and coauthors. With the introduction of universal screening for congenital heart disease, the finding of low oxygen saturation will uncover more neonates with hemoglobinopathies with low oxygen affinity.